American Express Global Transfer: Countries, Eligibility, and Steps

American Express Global Transfer, formally called Global Card Relationship, lets an existing Amex cardmember apply for a new card in another country using their current account history in place of a local credit score. It’s available across 21 countries, works only for primary cardholders on Amex-issued personal accounts, and usually produces a decision within seven to ten business days.1American Express. Global Card Relationship

The problem it solves is narrow but painful. When you relocate, local lenders and bureaus have no record of you, and a spotless payment history back home is invisible to them. Global Transfer gets around that by letting Amex underwriters review your existing payment behavior, account tenure, and spending as part of the decision on a new local card. The new card is a separate account governed by the destination country’s terms, but you can carry your original “Member Since” date onto it.

Countries Where Global Transfer Is Available

The program covers 21 countries, and each can serve as either your origin or your destination: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.2American Express. Global Card Transfer – International Contact Page

If your destination isn’t on that list, Global Transfer isn’t an option and you’ll need to apply through standard local channels, most likely without any credit history to lean on.

Who Qualifies

Holding an Amex card isn’t enough on its own. Your existing account needs to meet all of the following:

  • The card must be issued directly by American Express. Cards issued by third-party banks that carry the Amex logo don’t qualify, and corporate cards are excluded.
  • You must be the primary accountholder. Authorized users and supplementary cardholders can’t apply on someone else’s history.
  • You need at least three consecutive months as an active cardmember.
  • The account must be open and current, with no delinquencies or restrictive holds.

If you recently cancelled your card, accounts closed within the last three months can still qualify.3American Express. Moving Abroad – Global Card Transfer – United States Longer tenure and consistent on-time payments strengthen the file, since underwriters are essentially asking whether your record elsewhere predicts responsible behavior locally.

One limit that catches applicants out: you can typically obtain only one card through the program. Any further cards after that get evaluated on your newly established local credit profile, not your old account.2American Express. Global Card Transfer – International Contact Page

What to Have Ready Before You Apply

Gather the following before you start the form so an application doesn’t stall halfway through:

  • A physical residential address in the destination country, formatted to local postal standards. Mail-forwarding services and P.O. boxes are generally not accepted, and formatting mismatches can trigger automated rejections.
  • A local phone number for identity verification and multi-factor authentication.
  • Employer name, office location in the destination country, and your gross annual income converted to the local currency.
  • Identification appropriate to the jurisdiction. That may be a local tax identification number, a passport number, or a Social Security Number for US applications, plus a government-issued photo ID for verification.
  • Local bank account details. Some countries require these on the form itself, and reviewers may ask for a recent statement to confirm your address and financial standing.

Keep digital copies of your pay stub, employment contract, and a recent bank statement accessible in case the review team requests them.

Applying Through Global Transfer

Start on the American Express website for your destination country and browse the card lineup there. You aren’t matched to the same product you hold now; you pick from whatever cards exist in the new market.1American Express. Global Card Relationship

When the application asks whether you’re an existing cardmember, select yes and sign into your account. That login is what links your file to your existing history and gives underwriters access to your payment record. Enter your personal details, new local address, employment information, and income in the destination country’s currency.

After submission you’ll see one of three outcomes: instant approval, a pending status pending further review, or an immediate decline. A pending result is common. The review usually takes seven to ten business days, and you may be asked to upload a photo ID or bank statement during that window.3American Express. Moving Abroad – Global Card Transfer – United States Respond quickly through the secure portal. Approved cards ship via local courier or postal service with tracking sent separately.

Your Old Card and Points After Approval

The original account doesn’t close automatically. The two cards operate independently, each under the terms and fees of their respective countries, and you’ll manage them separately, in different currencies. If you want the old one closed, you have to request it, and waiting until the new card is active and any recurring charges have been moved is sensible.

Points are the part most people misjudge. Membership Rewards balances don’t transfer. American Express’s stated policy is that you can keep and redeem rewards through your current and existing account only.1American Express. Global Card Relationship Close the original account and unredeemed points go with it. Either burn down the balance before you close, or keep the original card open specifically to preserve it. Points earned on the new card sit in a separate pool under whatever local rewards program applies.

Nova Credit If You’re Moving to the United States

If your destination is the US and you either don’t have an Amex card or want another option, American Express also partners with Nova Credit, which translates international credit reports into a US-equivalent score. Rather than using your Amex relationship, this route pulls your credit file from a bureau in your home country and feeds it into the American Express underwriting decision.

Nova Credit currently obtains credit data from bureaus in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.4Nova Credit. What Countries Can Nova Credit Obtain My Credit Data From It’s useful if you’ve built strong credit abroad but never held an Amex card, so the Global Transfer path isn’t open to you.

A Reporting Note If You Keep the Old Account

Keeping the original card open to preserve points or credit history often means keeping a bank account in that country to pay it. For US persons, that foreign bank account can trigger federal reporting obligations that people routinely overlook.

The most common one is the FBAR. If the combined value of your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point in the calendar year, you must file FinCEN Form 114 with the Treasury. The threshold applies to the aggregate across all foreign accounts, and it doesn’t matter whether the account produced taxable income.5Internal Revenue Service. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Separate FATCA reporting on Form 8938 can also apply at higher asset thresholds that vary depending on whether you live in the US or abroad and how you file.6Internal Revenue Service. Summary of FATCA Reporting for US Taxpayers The credit card itself is a liability, not a reportable asset, so the card alone doesn’t trigger these rules. The bank account you use to pay it can.